layoffshttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/11124/all
enOvernight Recap: iPhone 5s vs. iPhone 6, App.net Layoffs, Tumblr iOS Updatehttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_iphone_5s_vs_iphone_6_appnet_layoffs_tumblr_ios_update
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/iphone_5s_with_iphone_6_mockup_620px.png" alt="iPhone 5s vs. iPhone 6 mockup" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>A sketchy rumor posted overnight to Taiwan-based <em>Industrial and Commercial Times</em> (via <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/07/pegatron-4-7-inch-iphone6-orders-september/" target="_blank">MacRumors</a>) claims that supplier Pegatron has already received 15 percent of Apple's orders for the rumored 4.7-inch iPhone 6 ahead of a September launch. Apparently the supplier will produce something in the neighborhood of 50 million iPhones this year, which includes the current generation as well as the new model, which just so happens to pop up again in today's recap...</p><h3>iPhone 6 Mockup Gets Compared to iPhone 5s</h3><p>Apple fans can't seem to get enough of these iPhone 6 rumors, and the latest leaked images <a href="http://bgr.com/2014/05/05/iphone-6-vs-iphone-5s-comparison-photos-leak/" target="_blank">posted to BGR this week</a> appear to reveal what the current iPhone 5s might look like stacked up against that mockup of the supposed iPhone 6 that's been making the rounds. As you can see from the image above, this year's model is clearly thinner and wider than last year's flagship handset, courtesy of a video posted to Macitynet.it last weekend. "In the comparison photos and the video, we can see that the iPhone 6 appears to have been completely redesigned," the report elaborated. "The device is seemingly much taller and more rounded than Apple’s current iPhone 5s model, and it is also wider and significantly thinner. Earlier reports suggested that the iPhone 6 will be among the thinnest smartphones in the world when it debuts later this year."</p><h3>Low App.net Subscriber Renewals Force Employee Layoffs</h3><p>App.net may have started as an alternative to Twitter, but since then the service has branched out into an entire platform for developers. Unfortunately, there apparently aren't enough of them paying a subscription to realize the loftier goals of the company's co-founders, which is why <a href="http://blog.app.net/2014/05/06/app-net-state-of-the-union/" target="_blank">App.net announced Tuesday</a> that the service will "no longer employ any salaried employees, including founders." That's the bad news, but thankfully the good news is "App.net will continue to operate normally on an indefinite basis," since the first major round of subscription renewals were enough to cover operational and hosting expenses. The company also announced plans to open source a larger percentage of App.net codebase, and plans to employ contractors as needed to keep the social platform sustainable moving forward.</p><h3>Tumblr App Now Allows Blog Customization from iOS</h3><p>Yahoo-owned Tumblr is a great way to get a blog up and running quickly, and the mobile apps make it easy to maintain from anywhere there's an internet connection. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tumblr/id305343404?mt=8&amp;ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank">Thanks to version 3.6 released on Tuesday</a>, that now includes customization of colors, fonts, pictures, and more. "However you want to look, you can look that way," the brief release notes explain. "Download this thing and make your blog look amazing already." The update is now available from the App Store and requires iOS 7.0 or later.</p><h3>Microsoft Teases "Small" Surface Event on May 20</h3><p><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/5/5685186/microsoft-will-hold-a-small-surface-event-on-may-20th" target="_blank">The Verge is reporting</a> that Microsoft has invited members of the media to a Surface-themed event on May 20, which could see the debut of a smaller edition of the company's Windows tablet. "Join us for a small gathering," the brief invitation reads, suggesting that nearly two years' worth of rumors about a so-called "Surface Mini" may finally come to reality. The hardware is said to be a 7.5-inch tablet with a 1440 x 1080 display, but in a departure for Microsoft, the display will feature a 4:3 aspect ratio like the iPad, rather than the wider 16:9 screen currently on the Surface.</p><h3>ShopDrop Aims to Help iPhone Users Track Clothing Sales</h3><p>For many of us, the siren song of the shopping mall is simply too strong to resist. The makers of a new iPhone app called <a href="http://shopdropapp.com" target="_blank">ShopDrop</a> are attempting to make shopping for clothing even more fun, using geolocation and iBeacon technology to keep tabs on sales at your favorite retailers and even receive a push notification about a hot new deal when the app is closed. A map view reveals where the best deals can be found, and ShopDrop users can easily share the love with friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, text message, or email. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shopdrop-sales-deals-sample/id708598274?mt=8" target="_blank">The app is free to download</a> and currently tracks retailers including Anthropologie, American Apparel, Armani Exchange, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Uniqlo, Free People, and others.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p><em>(Image courtesy of BGR)</em></p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_iphone_5s_vs_iphone_6_appnet_layoffs_tumblr_ios_update#commentsNewsApp StoreApp.netiPhone 5Siphone 6layoffsMicrosoftovernight recapRumorsShopDropSurfaceTumblrTwitteriPadiPhoneiPodWed, 07 May 2014 12:13:38 +0000J.R. Bookwalter19907 at http://www.maclife.comOvernight Recap: T-Mobile Ditches Old Plans, Angry Birds Go!, Favado Savingshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_tmobile_ditches_old_plans_angry_birds_go_favado_savings
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/angry_birds_go_620px.png" alt="Angry Birds Go!" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>By now you've probably heard the news: Apple has confirmed its rumored media event for next Tuesday, Oct. 22, as speculation ramps up about exactly what Cupertino has in store for the rest of the year. There are certainly a lot of possibilities, with new iPads and a release date for OS X Mavericks and the new Mac Pro at the top of the list. Our personal wish list? Overhauls for the existing iWork, iLife and Aperture applications, which are long overdue. Hey, we can dream, can't we?</p><h3>T-Mobile Moving Legacy Customers to Simple Choice Plans</h3><p><a href="http://www.tmonews.com/2013/10/t-mobile-moving-to-cancel-some-grandfathered-rate-plans-offer-customers-new-options/" target="_blank">T-MoNews is reporting</a> that T-Mobile US has started notifying grandfathered customers on older rate plans that their time is up. In an effort to streamline its product offerings, the fourth-placed U.S. carrier is moving longtime customers onto its latest Simple Choice plan. "Maintaining thousands of rate plans is the norm in the industry, but we think it creates unnecessary complexity," a T-Mobile spokesperson confirmed. "Simple is better, which is why we’re reducing the number of older plans in our systems. We’re giving customers on these plans the opportunity to choose a plan that best meets their needs. For the vast majority, their plan will provide similar or better features at a comparable price." Legacy customers were informed of the change in a letter received earlier this week, although a post on HowardForums claims such customers will be offered "special, unique and/or discounted pricing on rate plans" for their trouble.</p><h3>Rovio Announces Free Angry Birds Go! Coming Dec. 11</h3><p><a href="http://www.rovio.com/en/news/blog/401/angry-birds-go-coming-december-11-–-watch-the-gameplay-trailer/" target="_blank">Rovio debuted a gameplay trailer for its upcoming Angry Birds Go! on Tuesday</a>, which confirms a Dec. 11 release for the free 3D go-kart racing adaptation. "In Angry Birds Go! you can feel the rush as you fling down the track and go head-to-head in a fast and furious race to the finish line!" the blog post explains. The racing game will also incorporate Hasbro's TELEPODS, which first debuted in Rovio's Angry Birds Star Wars II, and Angry Birds Go! will be simultaneously available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry 10 in just under two months.</p><h3>Savings.com Debuts Free Mobile App Favado</h3><p>We all like to save money, and if we can do it from the palm of our hand, even better. Savings.com released the latest version of <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/fj/app/favado/id703787093?mt=8" target="_blank">Favado</a>, a free app that allows iPhone users to compare and save on "everyday items at your local grocery and drug stores." Using geolocation, the app aggregates the stores nearest to the user, serving up weekly ads complete with details on where to find coupons and save up to 70 percent before heading out to shop. Favado allows users to quickly and easily compare prices, then compile a grocery list to make short work of your next shopping trip. Favado 1.1.0 is now available from the App Store.</p><h3>Developer Forced to Remove Undocumented APIs to Apple Apps</h3><p>Developer Contrast may have unleashed version 2.0 of Launch Center Pro last week, but Apple is now requesting changes to the app to remove what they call "undocumented APIs" used to launch Cupertino's built-in iOS apps. <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/15/launch-center-pro-developer-must-remove-undocumented-apis-to-apple-apps/" target="_blank">According to MacRumors</a>, developer David Barnard confirmed the changes, but notes the URLs will continue working just fine, "unless Apple actually removes them from their respective apps," which would require an update to iOS 7. "And to be fair, those URLs *are* technically undocumented," Barnard tweeted on Monday. "I’m not even sure how they were discovered by people who shared them with us."</p><h3>Path Excises 20 Percent of Staff in Cost-Saving Measure</h3><p><a href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/dave-morin-laid-off-20-percent-of-path-employees-today-1445867435" target="_blank">Valleywag reported Tuesday</a> that social networking app Path has scaled back 20 percent of its staff this week, resulting in the dismissal of 13 employees. A spokesperson confirmed the layoffs, which come as the company seeks a new round of capital and a recent steep drop in the social network ranks. "We're working to realign the company to support continued innovation and Path 4.0," the spokesperson said, dismissing the notion that layoffs might be an ominous sign. ""It's just a realignment of the company. I wouldn't read anything into it. The business is strong, we have 20 million users."<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_tmobile_ditches_old_plans_angry_birds_go_favado_savings#commentsNewsAngry Birds GoApp StoreFavadoLaunch Center Prolayoffsovernight recapPathrate plansRovioSavings.comT-Mobile USiPadiPhoneiPodWed, 16 Oct 2013 12:25:37 +0000J.R. Bookwalter18332 at http://www.maclife.comMassive Layoffs Hit Social Gaming Giant Zynga; Stock Plummetshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/massive_layoffs_hit_social_gaming_giant_zynga_stock_plummets
<!--paging_filter--><p>As recently as 2011, people were <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2011/06/29/will-web-games-kill-consoles.aspx" target="_blank">predicting</a> that social gaming giant Zynga was going to play a big hand in killing off gaming consoles and perhaps even traditional video games through its Facebook franchises. Considering that Zynga announced today that it's laying off 520 employees&nbsp;—&nbsp;that's 18 percent of its workforce&nbsp;—&nbsp;that no longer seems to be the case. As reported by <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20130603/zynga-to-lay-off-520-employees-18-percent-of-staff-and-shutter-new-york-and-la-offices/" target="_blank">AllThingsD</a>, Zynga claims the layoffs herald a transition toward a focus on mobile games.</p><p>As a result of the downsizing&nbsp;—&nbsp;the largest in Zynga's history so far&nbsp;—&nbsp;Zynga's offices in New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles will close, while it'll retain its offices in San Francisco, Beijing, and Bangalore, India. The move comes after earlier layoffs in the fall and the associated closure of a whopping 18 social games.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u334114/2013/06/zyngashares.jpg" width="595" height="381" /></p><p>Yet those cuts weren't enough to cope with the rapidly falling income and participation from social media sites like Facebook, and Zynga now finds itself dealing with the transition to mobile gaming. But mobile gaming, while promising, currently doesn't bring in the loads of cash Zynga saw with its glory days on Facebook, and thus requires a smaller staff for profitability.</p><p>As Zynga CEO Mark Pincus said <a href="http://blog.zynga.com/2013/06/03/ceo-update-4/" target="_blank">in a blog post</a> this morning: "The scale that served us so well in building and delivering the leading social gaming service on the Web is now making it hard to successfully lead across mobile and multiplatform, which is where social games are going to be played."</p><p>Whether Zynga can succeed by keeping its eggs in different baskets this time around remains to be seen, but there's certainly cause for optimism on their part. As <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/06/03/zynga-layoffs-mark-pincus/2385291/" target="_blank">USA Today reports</a>, participation in social gaming across all platforms is expected to rise by 8.6 percent this year, according to research firm eMarketer.<br /><br />Investors, however, don't seem as confident, to put it lightly. After the news of the layoffs broke, Zynga stock fell by as much as 16 percent, <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2013/06/03/zynga-shares-fall-hard-after-layoffs-announcement/" target="_blank">according to the Wall Street Journal</a>. Now at $3 per share, Zynga stock has declined precipitiously since its IPO of $10 a share in 2011.&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/massive_layoffs_hit_social_gaming_giant_zynga_stock_plummets#commentsNewsfarmvillelayoffsmobile gamingzyngaTue, 04 Jun 2013 00:57:14 +0000Leif Johnson17147 at http://www.maclife.comConfusion Surrounds Layoffs at Longtime Mac Software Maker Ambrosiahttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/confusion_surrounds_layoffs_longtime_mac_software_maker_ambrosia
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/ambrosia_software_logo_200px.jpg" alt="Ambrosia Software" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />For more than 20 years, Ambrosia Software has been providing third-party software for the Mac, but a round of layoffs this week could suggest that things may not be going so well there.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2013/04/10/ambrosia-software-lays-off-its-developing-team-has-reportedly-f/" target="_blank">TUAW reported late Wednesday</a> that a number of <a href="http://www.ambrosiasw.com" target="_blank">Ambrosia Software</a> employees have been laid off from the Mac software publisher, whose popular utilities include <a href="http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/" target="_blank">Snapz Pro X</a>, <a href="http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/itoner/" target="_blank">iToner</a> and <a href="http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/wiretap/" target="_blank">WireTap Studio</a>.<br /><br />"End of an era, so long and thanks for all the fish, Ambrosia," software developer Rudy Richter posted on Twitter last night. "On to the next adventure."<br /><br />Richter's tweet was soon followed by at least two other co-workers also out of work at Ambrosia, prompting speculation that the company had folded entirely.<br /><br />Thus far, Ambrosia's only acknowledgment of the situation was a late-night tweet that seemed to indicate all is well: "To paraphrase Mr Clemens, the rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. We are still in business, and supporting our products!"<br /><br />The situation seems to be a little bit of "he said, they said" at the moment, but things should start to become clearer in the days ahead -- here's hoping both the employees and the company will make a swift rebound.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/confusion_surrounds_layoffs_longtime_mac_software_maker_ambrosia#commentsNewsAmbrosia SoftwareconfusionemployeesiTonerlayoffsRumorsSnapz Pro XsoftwareTwitterWireTap StudioMacThu, 11 Apr 2013 12:55:55 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16704 at http://www.maclife.comMotorola Mobility Sacking 1,200 Additional Workershttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/motorola_mobility_sacking_1200_additional_workers
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/motorola_logo_200px.png" alt="Motorola logo" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />We never like to hear about layoffs from any company, but it's particularly troubling to hear them coming from Google-owned Motorola, where another 1,200 workers will soon be headed for unemployment.<br /><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/8/4077904/googles-motorola-to-lay-off-a-further-10-percent-of-its-workforce" target="_blank"><br />The Verge reported Friday</a> that Motorola Mobility is following up its layoffs of roughly 4,000 people back in October with a second act this week, reducing its workforce by an additional 10 percent.<br /><br /><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324128504578347311150486142.html" target="_blank">According to </a><em><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324128504578347311150486142.html" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a>,</em> the cuts are being made by new owners Google in the United States, China and India and will involve around 1,200 people. An email sent to Motorola employees reportedly explained that "our costs are too high, we're operating in markets where we're not competitive, and we're losing money."<br /><br />"While we're very optimistic about the new products in our pipeline, we still face challenges," the email reportedly concluded.<br /><br />A Motorola spokesperson painted the cuts in a different light, however.<br /><br />"These cuts are a continuation of the reductions we announced last summer. It's obviously very hard for the employees concerned, and we are committed to helping them through this difficult transition," the spokesperson told <em>The Wall Street Journal</em>.<br /><br />The report noted that Motorola already had an 18-month product pipeline in place at the time Google acquired the company, so we haven't yet seen the fruits of that purchase quite yet.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/motorola_mobility_sacking_1200_additional_workers#commentsNewsandroidGooglelayoffsMotorolaMotorola MobilitypipelinesmartphonesunemploymentWall Street JournaliPhoneFri, 08 Mar 2013 13:24:43 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16426 at http://www.maclife.comOvernight Recap: 3rd-Gen iPad Discontinued, Angry Birds Seasons, Nostalgiahttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_3rdgen_ipad_discontinued_angry_birds_seasons_nostalgia
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/refurb_ipad_3_200px.jpg" alt="Refurbished third-gen iPad" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />The dust has settled and just like that, the iPad mini is real. Tuesday's Apple event was a whiplash-inducing hour as company executives announced a wide swath of new and updated products at a breathtaking pace -- and for the first time we can recall, made one of its key products obsolete within the same year it was released. As third-gen iPad owners ourselves, we can feel your pain, but if you bought one recently, you might try to return it to an Apple Store and see if they'll take mercy on you. Read on to find out more!</p><h3>Third-Gen "New" iPad Discontinued, Refurbs Now Available</h3><p>As Tuesday proved, the rumors of a fourth-generation iPad were indeed true, although few probably expected Apple to be so quick at ditching the previous model. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/23/3544002/3rd-generation-ipad-discontinued-refurbished-models-available" target="_blank">The Verge was the first to spot</a> refurbished third-gen iPads popping up on the Apple online store Tuesday afternoon, with the 16GB Wi-Fi model starting at just $379 -- a $20 savings over the lesser-powered (but new) iPad 2. We're sorry to see it go so quickly, but considering Cupertino's claims of 2x processor and graphics speed over the model released back in March, we can't really blame them.</p><h3>Angry Birds Seasons Adds New Levels, iPhone 5 Support</h3><p>Rovio offered up another helping of Angry Birds on Tuesday, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-birds-seasons/id398157641?mt=8" target="_blank">updating its Angry Birds Seasons apps for iPhone/iPod touch</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-birds-seasons-hd/id398329664?mt=8" target="_blank">iPad</a> to version 3.0, just in time for Halloween. "BOO! The pigs are hiding in their spookiest location yet: a haunted house!" the release notes reveal. "The Angry Birds will have to brave ghosts and ghouls to get their eggs back -- if they can survive the house first! Are your eyes playing tricks on you or did that painting just move?!" Angry Birds Seasons now offers 30 all-new spooky levels, along with "ghostly new Halloween music" and a pig named Frankenswine. Perhaps more importantly for iPhone 5 owners, the game now supports the four-inch display for your device, making this update well worth downloading. It's in the App Store now, so go get it!</p><h3>Some Apple Stores Allowing Returns of Recently-Purchased Third-Gen iPads</h3><p>Following the unveiling of Apple's fourth-generation iPad on Tuesday, a number of people who recently purchased the third-generation, formerly "new" iPad suddenly find themselves with an inferior device. <a href="http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57538502-285/peeved-apple-will-exchange-your-3rd-gen-ipad-for-the-newer-model/" target="_blank">According to CNET</a>, all hope is not lost: A number of customers are claiming that their nearby Apple Store has offered to exchange the third-gen model for the one announced this week, as long as the original purchase was made within the last 30 days. The manager of Stockton Street store in San Francisco confirmed that their location was extending the usual 14-day return policy, but you'll want to contact the Apple Store nearest you before venturing out -- this doesn't appear to be a company-wide policy as yet.</p><h3>Noise Industries Releases CineFlare Nostalgia for Final Cut Pro X</h3><p>Boston-based Noise Industries announced a new member of its FxFactory plug-in family on Tuesday with the arrival of <a href="http://www.cineflare.com/nostalgia-for-fcpx/" target="_blank">CineFlare Nostalgia</a>. This package of effects and generators is aimed exclusive at Final Cut Pro X users for adding an authentic vintage look to their footage, complete with three different customizable elements for retro color effects, lens flares and even vintage slide vignettes. Check out the Nostalgia promo video to see what it can do for your footage, then head into FxFactory and grab your copy today for only $49.</p><p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BeEKLh02lMc" width="620" height="349" frameborder="0"></iframe>&nbsp;</p><h3>Zynga Lops Off 5 Percent of Its Staff During Apple Event</h3><p>While most of us were focused on Apple's latest and greatest products on Tuesday morning, the folks over at social gamer Zynga were busy laying off as many as 100 employees. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/23/3544176/zynga-reportedly-lays-off-100-employees-during-apples-event-shutters" target="_blank">According to The Verge</a>, those cuts apparently come most deeply among those working on The Ville, the company's neighborhood-based reality simulation game first released back in June. A leaked memo from Zynga CEO and founder Mark Pincus confirmed that five percent of its full-time workforce indeed got the axe, while at the same shuttering 13 older games and "significantly reducing our investment in The Ville." The founder promises a company-wide pep talk on Wednesday following Zynga's earnings webcast, so it sounds like some not-so-good news may be headed down the pipeline.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_3rdgen_ipad_discontinued_angry_birds_seasons_nostalgia#commentsNews4th generation iPadAngry Birds SeasonsFxFactorylayoffsnew ipadNoise Industriesovernight recapzyngaiPadiPhoneMacWed, 24 Oct 2012 12:14:14 +0000J.R. Bookwalter15411 at http://www.maclife.comWednesday Recap: Seagate Hearts LaCie, HP Slashing 27,000 Jobs, DigiTimes Rumorshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/wednesday_recap_seagate_hearts_lacie_hp_slashing_27000_jobs_digitimes_rumors
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/seagate_logo_200px.png" alt="Seagate logo" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Krikey, what a day for the tech world! On top of the jury siding with Google over the Oracle lawsuit, we’ve got Seagate buying up LaCie, HP slashing eight percent of its workforce over the next two years and Apple CEO Tim Cook failing to cut a deal with Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung over their long-standing patent dispute. Oh, and DigiTimes says they’ll work harder to make Apple rumors more accurate. Yes, seriously. Read on to check out all the news for Wednesday, May 23, 2012!</p><h3>Seagate Plans to Acquire Controlling Interest in LaCie</h3><p>One would think with all of the hard drives in the world, the market would be strong, but <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120523005898/en" target="_blank">the announcement today that Seagate intends to acquire controlling interest of LaCie</a> certainly gives one pause. The storage titan has offered to purchase LaCie CEO Philippe Spruch’s 64.5 percent ownership, which pins the value of the deal at $186 million USD. Spruch plans to join Seagate and lead the company’s consumer product division when the deal closes. “With the proliferation of devices and content being shared and stored today, consumer demand for high-quality branded storage solutions continues to grow,” said Philippe Spruch, LaCie’s chairman and CEO. “We are excited about the potential for this combination to benefit customers and employees by creating significant scale and opening up new markets. We look forward to making the resources of a much larger company available to our customers around the world."</p><h3>Heads Will Roll: HP Confirms 27,000 Job Losses Coming</h3><p><a href="http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/hp-launches-multi-year-restructuring-to-fuel-innovation-and-enable-investment-nyse-hpq-1660938.htm" target="_blank">Hewlett-Packard has confirmed the worst fears today</a>, announcing “approximately” 27,000 of its employees will be gone by the end of the 2014 fiscal year. That amounts to eight percent of its current workforce which numbers 350,000 worldwide; those on the chopping block will be offered an early retirement program. HP’s aggressive restructuring is expected to save the company upwards of $3.5 billion, with those savings being “reinvested back into the company.” The company also posted Q2 2012 earnings which narrowly passed Wall Street expectations, with income down three percent to $30.7 billion (analysts had predicted $29.92 billion). Grim news out of Palo Alto, but CEO Meg Whitman is wasting no time trying to right the sinking ship.</p><h3>DigiTimes: “We’ll Try to Do Better” on Apple Rumors</h3><p><a href="http://techland.time.com/2012/05/23/digitimes-on-digitimes-we-know-what-were-doing-and-well-try-to-do-better/" target="_blank">Time Techland has an interesting followup report on DigiTimes</a>, the Taiwanese website that is frequently cited as a source of Apple rumors -- even though they tend to get it more wrong than right most of the time. As it turns out, DigiTimes deputy managing editor Joseph Chen felt compelled to set the record straight in an email to Time Techland’s Harry McCracken: “Digitimes has indeed reported much on Apple, and many of the products that we said would be launched have never been launched, or have had their launches delayed. But that does not mean that we were crying wolf or passing along gossip. In fact, Apple have a lot of its R&amp;D projects and ideas tried out at its supply chain partners in Asia. Many of the prototypes created by the supply chain partners will never make it to the market after Apple’s assessments. This is one of the major reasons why a lot of the information we have disclosed has been seen by others as inaccurate, but is still valuable to our reader base in the supply chain. We understand the risks behind the kind of reporting we have been doing.” Fair enough. Chen also promises DigiTimes “will implement even stricter requirements for verification of such stories” in the future.</p><h3>Apple, Samsung Patent Meetings Bear No Fruit After 2 Days</h3><p><a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2012/05/133_111543.html" target="_blank"><em>The Korea Times</em> is reporting</a> that closed door meetings between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung have thus far bore no fruit after two days. The meeting was ordered by the court in an effort to get the smartphone makers to settle their patent disputes without dragging the whole ugly mess through the legal system. But that appears easier said than done. “The two technology giants could find no clear agreement through the talks,” a Samsung official told the newspaper. “Apple Korea declined to comment on the matter. The patent battle is now headed for trial in July, despite both firm’s stated wish to avoid legal proceedings.” Samsung is pushing for Cupertino to pay royalties on its wireless technology, while Apple isn’t backing down on claims that the Korean manufacturer has blatantly copied their designs.</p><h3>Rumor: Microsoft Office for iOS, Android in November</h3><p>Speaking of rumors, <a href="http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/23/microsoft-office-ipad-android-launch/" target="_blank">BGR is reporting</a> that Microsoft may be planning to launch its full Office suite for not only the iPad but also Android tablets come this November. Of course, we’ve heard this one before, when a source for <em>The Daily</em> reported seeing MS Office running on an iPad first hand -- which BGR’s own “reliable source” also claims to have seen. For whatever it’s worth, the app’s splash screen showed “Office for iOS,” which means Redmond could be planning to also push the app onto the smaller screen of the iPhone and iPod touch come turkey month as well.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/wednesday_recap_seagate_hearts_lacie_hp_slashing_27000_jobs_digitimes_rumors#commentsNewsacquisitionsApple vs. Samsungdaily recapDigiTimesemployeesHPLaCielayoffslossesmicrosoft officeSeagateTim CookiPadiPhoneWed, 23 May 2012 21:24:28 +0000J.R. Bookwalter14137 at http://www.maclife.comMonday Recap: Sony Music Unlimited App, Game Capture HD, Motorola Layoffs?http://www.maclife.com/article/news/monday_recap_sony_music_unlimited_app_game_capture_hd_motorola_layoffs
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/elgato_game_capture_hd_200px.png" alt="Elgato Game Capture HD" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />“Monday, Monday, so good to me…” If The Mamas and the Papas don’t get you fired up on this fine Monday, then perhaps we’ll get your heart racing with the latest tech news coming over the data pipes. Elgato’s got a new way to record video gameplay, Sony is launching an iOS app for Music Unlimited and Motorola may be facing layoffs after the Google acquisition -- read on for the rest of the Monday, May 21, 2012 news!</p><h3>Elgato Introduces Game Capture HD</h3><p>Elgato has been helping Mac users record video for years, but now the company is turning its attention to video games with the new <a href="http://www.gamecapture.com/" target="_blank">Game Capture HD</a>, which promises to “record your PlayStation or Xbox gameplay to a Mac or PC and share your journey with friends, fans and generations to come.” While we’ve personally never understood the attraction of reliving gameplay, those who spend more time gaming than living in the real world are sure to appreciate Elgato’s latest offering. Game Capture HD uses advanced hardware H.264 encoding to capture gameplay in stunning HD while keeping file sizes manageable, all as the same picture and sound is routed to your HDTV in pristine quality and without delay. Of course, recorded gameplay can be easily shared to YouTube, Facebook or Twitter as well. The company is mum on how much Game Capture HD will set you back when it becomes available, but for now, <a href="http://www.gamecapture.com/" target="_blank">feel free to droll all over the dedicated website</a> and specs.</p><h3>Sony Music Unlimited for iOS Hits App Store</h3><p>We’re not quite sure the market can bear yet another streaming music subscription service arriving on iOS, but when it comes from a media giant like Sony, it’s not likely to be dismissed so quickly. <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2012/05/21/sony-releases-music-unlimited-spotify-competitor-as-ios-app/" target="_blank">According to 9to5Mac</a>, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/id522556733?s=143455" target="_blank">an official Music Unlimited app</a> has turned up in the New Zealand App Store and is likely to start making the rounds worldwide over the next few hours. Currently offered in 14 different countries including the U.S. and Canada, Sony Music Unlimited offers a 30-day free trial of its premium service, with subscriptions starting at only $3.99 a month for access to basic channels as well as your own music library, with a $9.99 per month Premium account that extends to more than 15 million songs in its catalog. The iOS app isn’t universal so there’s no native iPad support, but otherwise Sony’s offering seems fairly capable. Give the link a click a little later and see if it’s ready to download from the U.S. App Store!</p><h3>Layoffs Likely as Google’s Motorola Acquisition Closes This Week</h3><p>With the final regulatory hurdle now behind Google, the search giant is moving fast to close its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility this week. <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/21/motorola-mobility-says-google-moto-deal-will-close-tuesday-or-wednesday-includes-an-android-rider-layoffs-coming/" target="_blank">According to TechCrunch</a>, the deal is expected to close in the next two business days, followed by a “listening tour” as Google examines the cell phone maker from top to bottom prior to making any decisions. For Motorola employees, those “decisions” could result in layoffs soon after the deal closes. The manufacturer currently has 19,000 employees, but has been actively working to reduce that number even before the acquisition, with the latest round seeing 800 workers cut back in October. The deal also includes a guarantee to the Chinese government that Android “would remain free and open source for the next five years,” which should put some color back in the faces of smartphone manufacturers who have been waiting to exhale over the deal since it was announced.</p><h3>Same as It Ever Was: ITC Still Sides with Apple, RIM in Kodak Patent Suit</h3><p><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57438438-37/itc-once-again-sides-with-apple-rim-in-kodak-patent-spat/" target="_blank">Cnet is reporting</a> that Eastman Kodak’s patent complaint against Apple and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has wrapped up yet again with the U.S. International Trade Commission, and unfortunately for the beleaguered photographic company, the complaint has been dismissed “for obviousness.” In Apple’s case, the infringing patent was only relevant for the discontinued iPhone 3G and covered how images were previewed on mobile devices. For their part, Kodak is pleasured to have confirmation “that Kodak’s patent is infringed by Apple and RIM,” even if the company is ultimately left empty-handed. Needless to say, Kodak plans to appeal the decision and remains confident things will go their way; the complaint dates back to January 14, 2010 and will have a final ruling with the ITC’s complete six-member panel on by September 21.</p><h3>OS X Mountain Lion Beta Offers Automatic App Download</h3><p>If you’ve been digging the iOS automatic download feature which pushes new app purchases to all of your devices, get ready to experience the same thing with OS X Mountain Lion when it arrives this summer. <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2012/05/20/latest-mountain-lion-update-brings-automatic-downloads-for-apps/" target="_blank">According to 9to5Mac</a>, Apple has quietly enabled an Automatic Download feature in the latest Developer Preview released last week. That means new apps purchased on one Mac can be automatically downloaded to any others you own, which should be a nice convenience feature for those of us with more than one Mac at home. Apparently the feature doesn’t actually do anything when enabled at present, but with WWDC 2012 looming, developers will likely be receiving a gold master at the conference ahead of the official release.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/monday_recap_sony_music_unlimited_app_game_capture_hd_motorola_layoffs#commentsNewsApp Storedaily recapElgatogameplayGoogleITCKodaklayoffsMotorola MobilityMusic UnlimitedOS X Mountain LionSonyiPhoneMacMon, 21 May 2012 21:30:12 +0000J.R. Bookwalter14111 at http://www.maclife.comThursday Recap: Jailbreak Censoring, T-Mobile Broadband, HP Layoffs Cominghttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/thursday_recap_jailbreak_censoring_tmobile_broadband_hp_layoffs_coming
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/hp_sign_200px.png" alt="HP sign" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Who knew “jailbreak” could be considered a dirty word? Apparently someone at Apple thought so, which is why the word was censored from the iTunes Store for the better part of Wednesday night and Thursday. Everything is back to normal now, but the hacker community sure got a kick out of it while the fun lasted. So what else is making news today? Glad you asked. Read on for everything else this Thursday, May 17, 2012 has to offer.</p><h3>Apple Briefly Considers “Jailbreak” a Dirty Word in U.S. iTunes Store</h3><p>One can only imagine that the word “jailbreak” is spoken in hushed tones up in Cupertino, given that Apple has made it clear it doesn’t appreciate users hacking their iOS devices. But would they go so far as to censor the word from iTunes? <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/17/apple-censoring-jailbreak-in-u-s-itunes-store-listings/" target="_blank">According to MacRumors</a>, that’s exactly what happened earlier today, at least in the U.S. iTunes Store. Everywhere the word “jailbreak” appeared -- whether it was in songs or TV shows or apps -- Apple replaced with “j*******k” instead. While the censoring appears to have kicked in late Wednesday and persisted throughout much of the day, Apple appears to have finally caught on and has since corrected the gaffe, much to the glee of Thin Lizzy fans everywhere, we’re sure.</p><h3>Plastic Logic Throws in Tablet Towel, Closes U.S. Offices</h3><p>There’s little doubt that the iPad is a formidable opponent, but most of its competitors on the Android have pockets deep enough to keep fighting the uphill battle. The same cannot be said for Plastic Logic, the U.K. company infamous for ditching its QUE proReader tablet before it even shipped to stores. <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/plastic-logic-shutters-us-offices-gets-out-of-e-readers/" target="_blank">According to Engadget</a>, the whole dream has now died, with the company closing its U.S. office in Mountain View, California and axing around 40 jobs there, while also pruning staff at offices in merry old England, Germany and Russia. While Plastic Logic has killed its hopes of launching tablets and e-readers of its own, the company appears to be ready to continue supplying screens to other companies, including their new flexible color e-reader display that sounds awfully cool.</p><h3>T-Mobile Announces No-Contract Mobile Broadband</h3><p>It’s kind of sad that in 2012, contract-free mobile broadband still seems so hard to come by. The big U.S. carriers would rather bait you with cheap hardware and a two-year commitment, but leave it to T-Mobile to mix things up a bit. <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/t-mobile-introduces-new-no-annual-contract-mobile-broadband-service-passes-2012-05-17" target="_blank">The fourth-placed U.S. carrier announced today</a> four new “No Annual Contract” mobile broadband passes which offer “a pay-in-advance, overage-free solution” with an allotment of data to fit most every user. For the occasional user, $15 will buy you a one-week pass with up to 300MB, while one-month passes are available in $25, $35 and $50 amounts which nets you 1.5GB, 3.5GB and 5GB, respectively. The new plans roll out Sunday, May 20 at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers, national retailers and online, but you’ll need to grab your own device to take advantage of it -- which includes a variety of 4G Mobile Hotspots, laptop sticks and connected tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.</p><h3>Huge Layoffs Incoming at HP</h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/source-hp-layoffs-are-going-to-be-huge-2012-5?op=1" target="_blank">According to Business Insider</a>, Hewlett-Packard appears ready to jettison up to 32,000 employees from its workforce next week in what one source calls a “massive” layoff. The news isn’t exactly a secret, with CEO Meg Whitman having already gone on record that such layoffs were under consideration. A source claims the HP cuts could trim between 10 to 15 percent of its workforce, which currently stands at 320,000 strong worldwide. At the lower end of that spectrum, 10 percent would amount to 32,000 jobs lost, although it’s unlikely that HP would make such a huge cut in one fell swoop, but rather make smaller cuts to bleed out over time. Employees in manufacturing appear to have less to worry about than their co-workers, but any way you slice, this could be quite ugly for the tech world.</p><h3>Verizon: Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plans Will Take Time to Kill</h3><p>Speaking of getting the axe, <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/verizon-clarifies-shared-data-plans/" target="_blank">Verizon Wireless issued a statement to <em>The New York Times</em></a> on yesterday’s story about grandfathered unlimited data plans going away this summer. Seems as if there’s a bit more to it than that: “Customers will not be automatically moved to new shared data plans,” the carrier notes. “If a 3G or 4G smartphone customer is on an unlimited plan now and they do not want to change their plan, they will not have to do so.” That said, when the new shared data plans arrive, “Unlimited Data will no longer be available to customers when purchasing handsets at discounted pricing” -- although customers who purchase phones at full retail price and “are on an unlimited smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan.” Translation: Unlimited data is still going to die, but it’s going to take some time for Verizon to cleanse its junkies of that bad habit.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/thursday_recap_jailbreak_censoring_tmobile_broadband_hp_layoffs_coming#commentsNewsbroadbanddaily recapHPiTunes StorejailbreaklayoffsMeg WhitmanPlastic LogicT-Mobiletablet marketverizoniPadiPhoneThu, 17 May 2012 22:18:39 +0000J.R. Bookwalter14095 at http://www.maclife.comSony Slashing 10,000 Jobs as New CEO Promises “One Sony” Unityhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/sony_slashing_10000_jobs_new_ceo_promises_%E2%80%9Cone_sony%E2%80%9D_unity
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/sony_ceo_kazuo_hirai_200px.png" alt="Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />New Sony boss Kazuo Hirai is determined to to return flailing Sony to its former days of glory in consumer electronics -- not to mention profitability -- but the road ahead will be paved with pink slips as the CEO regroups into “One Sony.”<br /><br /><a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/sony-maps-revival-plan-cut-063224098.html" target="_blank">Reuters (via Yahoo! News) is reporting</a> that Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai has made his first public briefing in his new position, which he inherited from Howard Stringer only last month. Feeling the pressure from Apple’s mobile devices and losing ground in the rest of the consumer electronics market from South Korea’s Samsung, Sony veteran Hirai plans “a major push into smartphones, growth in games and cameras and big cost cuts in a TV business that has not made a profit in eight years.”<br /><br />"I am determined to transform and revive Sony. This is our only chance to change," Hirai told a packed news conference at the company’s Tokyo headquarters on Thursday. “We cannot shy away from difficult decisions," he said.<br /><br />In the short term, that involves trimming the fat and stanching the mounting losses as the company becomes “One Sony.” The first move comes with the axing of 10,000 jobs (around six percent of Sony’s global workforce) and a 75 billion yen ($926 million) “restructuring charge” for 2012. The layoffs follow two prior cuts made during six years of Stringer’s tenure as CEO.<br /><br />Hirai hails from Sony’s PlayStation video game unit, which he previously had success in reviving. Now as CEO, the executive has his eye on smartphones in the wake of Sony buying out Ericsson’s half of their former venture in that marketplace, to the tune of $1.5 billion.<br /><br />However, Sony faces an uphill battle on nearly every front: Smartphones, digital cameras, video games and television. And the company is not alone, with Sharp and Panasonic also suffering from weak demand for their HDTV products. Sony now faces a reality where Japan’s “once-mighty television industry” may be anything but.<br /><br />"Sony's fundamental problem is that it has lost its competitiveness," explains Hideyuki Suzuki, general manager of research at SBI Securities.<br /><br />Hirai also plans to expand Sony’s horizons with “new businesses in medical equipment and electric car batteries,” having set a goal for 8.5 trillion yen ($105 billion) over the next two years.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a><br /><br />(Image courtesy of Reuters)</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/sony_slashing_10000_jobs_new_ceo_promises_%E2%80%9Cone_sony%E2%80%9D_unity#commentsNewsCEOcutbacksDigital CamerasfinancialshdtvJapanKazuo HirailayoffsPlaystationsmartphonesSonySony EricssonThu, 12 Apr 2012 13:13:53 +0000J.R. Bookwalter13807 at http://www.maclife.com